Here's a new one for the list of traffic hazards you might have encountered Saturday night on I-44: a gigantic slick of mayonnaise, 40,000 pounds of it on the pavement.

Springfield police closed the eastbound lanes of the interstate near U.S. 65 for several hours Saturday night as they and the Missouri Department of Transportation worked to clean up debris from a tractor-trailer crash, including the 20 tons of mayonnaise spilled on the road.

"It's like walking on ice," said Lt. Scott Leven.

No one was hurt, Leven said, and bridge supports hit by the rig were inspected by MoDOT and appeared sound, he said.

The cause of the accident is under investigation. Leven said the driver lost control, taking the truck through a cable guard and into the median. The truck ended up going between the bridge supports and a guardrail underneath the 65 overpass.

Miraculously, traffic following the truck was able to stop, so additional crashes did not occur.

Traffic was rerouted.

"MoDOT has done a terrific job putting up signboards, encouraging drivers to re-route themselves," said Leven.